For many first-generation rural learners, dreams are quashed by unequal access and opportunity.
Avsar Collective’s online programmes respond by meeting youth where they are and building the confidence, skills, and exposure needed for higher education and meaningful work.
Saakar Sapne (Realizing Dreams)
Saakar Sapne Mentorship Programme supports first-generation learners from the rural Hindi-belt to access education and work opportunities.
Through online mentorship and workshops on critical thinking, anti-discrimination, digital and life skills, the programme helps youth navigate and challenge structural inequalities while building confidence and clarity about their futures.
50 young people have been a part of this programme so far
College Preparation
College Prep Programme equips first-generation rural learners with essential academic skills for higher education.
The programme focuses on general knowledge, logical reasoning, English, essay writing, and mathematics, enabling students to strengthen their foundations and compete more confidently for college admissions.
Trainings and Exposure Visits
Avsar’s youth, including our co-founders, have made it to prestigious fellowships, such as the Gandhi Fellowship or Nirantar’s Jeevat Fellowship. Here, they have honed their technical and leadership skills and bring these back to guide and support more youth.
The team members have also interacted with the Disom Fellowship and the SBI Youth for India Fellowship, and hope to expand this list of Fellowship programmes where Avsar could support youth to get into.
The youth and Avsar’s core team members have represented their work, spanning across themes and issues, such as education, rural development, gender justice, climate change, etc., thereby shifting the narratives and making space for their voices to be heard at different platforms and panels, where otherwise, representation remains limited.
Avsar organized exposure visits for youth associated with it to Agami’s Justicemakers Mela, which saw a gathering of about 1,000 people working on different intersections of justice. This enabled participants to learn about different issues, meet people and understand the varied nature of work happening, and be exposed to opportunities beyond the traditional.
As part of gaining exposure, Avsar also enrolled youth into courses and workshops on Constitutional Values and Environmental Justice, at the Sambhaavnaa Institute of Public Policy.
We collaborated with schools, colleges, and youth groups across rural Rajasthan (Rajsamand, Beawar, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, and Bhilwara districts) and Delhi. We spoke with young people about future opportunities, their aspirations, work, and higher education, and pathways to reach their dreams.
We engaged with organisations like iPartner India, Aadhaarshila Balika Shivir, Kshamtalaya, Jatan Sansthan, School for Democracy, Sambhaavnaa Institute of Public Policy, Delhi govt schools, and others.
